Preloaded joint assembly



p 1969 E. J. HERBENAR 3,464,723

PRELOADED JOINT ASSEMBLY Original Filed March 8, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR L DWIJZO J 16 625544]? ATTORNEY P 1969 E. J. HERBENAR 3,464,723

PRELOADED JOINT ASSEMBLY Original Filed March 8, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR ATTORNEY Sept. 2, 1969 E. J. HERBENAR PRELOADED JOINT ASSEMBLYOriginal Filed March 8 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 hm mnl N Hf iulll .l 2 4 FM w 7 W 4 |Nnu f0 4 0 M L Z a 5 J 0 9 u m 1 Q m M Z J M X F R 5 mm NE E5X J D m M M'%Mw MAW/um ATTORNEY Sept. 2, 1969 E. J. HERBENAR PRELOADEDJOINT ASSEMBLY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed March 8, 1967 M5 INVENTOR/0 [pm/A20 J. /E Q'BA/AR I %M BY ATTORNEY US. Cl. 287-87 3 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A preloaded assembly of components in ahousing, such as joint components in a socket wherein a closure plate orretainer is held in position by locally displaced radially inwardlydeformed socket material. The socket is spin swedged radially inwardlyaround the retainer into tight gripping relation with the periphery ofthe retainer and then both faces of the retainer are overlapped withsocket metal. The level of the retainer in the housing may be at anydepth for maintaining the desired preload.

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a division of my copendingapplication Ser. No. 621,561, filed Mar. 8, 1967, and now Patent No.3,395,442, entitled Method for Preloading and Retaining Components in aHousing, which in turn is a continuation-in-part of my copendingapplication Ser. No. 503,709, filed Oct. 23, 1965, and now Patent No.3,395,- 441, entitled Method of Spin Swedging Inserts in Housings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The inventionpertains to the art of deforming metal around an insert, such as aretainer or closure plate in a housing, to provide a retaining groovewithout machining operations.

Description of the prior art Heretofore, the locking of retainers orclosure plates in housings required machining operations to formretaining shoulders for the insert and peening or spinning operations todeform the metal over the retainer to hold it against the shoulder. Thelevel of the retainer in the housing was, therefore, fixed by theposition of the shoulder and variations in the stacking height ofcomponents in the housing prevented uniform loading of the components bythe retainer. The retainer or closure plate for the housing is pressedinto thrusting relation with joint components in the housing to developa desired preload on the components and the closure plate is then lockedin position at the level or depth in the housing for maintaining thispreload by deforming the housing over both faces of the peripheralmargin of the closure plate.

SUMMARY It is an object of this invention to provide socket assemblieswith stacked components held under a desired preload by a retainersecured to the socket with material deformed from the socket by a spinswedging operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a socket assembly withstacked components therein which are pre loaded and held in preloadedcondition by a retainer or closure member tightly gripped by socketmaterial which is radially inwardly deformed around the peripheralportions of the retainer.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a pre- States atent O"ice loaded joint assembly such as a ball and socket joint with acup-shaped housing containing joint components such as a joint stud anda bearing in preloaded condition and held in such condition by aretainer member secured to the housing by metal displaced in a spinswedging operation to tightly grip the retainer.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in this art from the following detailed description of theannexed sheets of drawings which, by way of a preferred embodiment ofthe invention, illustrate one example of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view ofthe spin swedge tool used in making the socket assemblies or joints ofthis invention;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of the swedging tool of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the swedging tool taken along theline IIIIII of FIGURE 2 and further showing the joint socket of FIGURE 1being acted upon by the tool;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view, with parts in elevation, ofthe socket assembly shown in FIGURES 1 and 3 in the finished form afterthe toool has acted thereon and also showing the manner in which a dustcap is anchored in the peripheral groove formed by the tool;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary elevational view, with parts in verticalsection, illustrating the relative positions of the tool and jointsocket to be acted thereon prior to the loading of the joint componentsby the tool;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5, but illustrating the relativepositions of the socket assembly and tool at the start of the swedgingoperation;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6, but showing the relativepositions of the tool and socket assembly in an intermediate stage ofthe operation;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7, but illustrating the relativepositions of the tool and socket assembly upon completion of theswedging operation;

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 5, but showing a different type ofsocket assembly about to be acted upon by the swedging tool;

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 9, but showing the relativepositions of the tool and socket assembly upon completion of theswedging operation; and

FIGURE 11 is a view similar to FIGURE 10, but illustrating thecompletion of the swedging operation on another form of socket assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIGURES 1 to 3, the spinswedge apparatus or tool 10 used for making the socket assemblies orjoint assemblies of this invention includes a generally frustoconicalhead or body 11 with a centrally recessed flat top 12 and an inclinedbottom face 13 at the large end thereof which slopes from the peripheryto a central apex 14 having a tapered recess 15 converging to a centralcylindrical bore 16 extending vertically through the body 11.

The top 12 of the body 11 has a cylindrical well 17 with a counterboredlarge diameter top end 17a. A ball bearing unit 18 is mounted in thewell'17.

A cap member 19 is bolted to the top end of the head 11 by mounting bolt20 and has a pilot portion 19a seated in the counterbore 17a of thehead.

The member 19 has an externally threaded stem 21 threaded into a chuck22 of a drill press or the like driving spindle. A knurled ring 23,threaded on the stem 21, can be tightened against the bottom end of thechuck 22 to fix the vertical position of the tool 10 On a drill press,lathe or the like driving spindle.

of the head 11 and is carried in the inner race of the bearing 18 sothat the head may rotate freely around the rod without rotating the rod.The upper end of the rod 24 is threaded into a plunger 25 which isfreely mounted in a central bore 26 of the member 19. The plunger 25 isreciproated by any suitable actuating means (not shown), such as ahydraulic or pneumatic ram, or it can be spring loaded to exert adesired downward thrust on the rod 24. The rod 24 has a hollow ortubular bottom end with an outwardly flared frustoconical portion 24aconverging to a cylindrical portion 24b terminating at an end 240 at alevel in the bore 16. The small end of the frustoconical portion canretract into the recess 15 and the open bottom large end of the portionprojects freely below the bottom face 13 of the head 11 to surround anupstanding member of an assembly being acted upon by the tool and toengage the retainer of such an assembly.

The hollow cylindrical portion 24b of the rod 24 slida'bly supports aplunger or piston 27. The piston 27 has a closed top vertical slot 27ain the side wall thereof receiving a pin P projecting from thecylindrical rod portion 24!) to retain the upper portion of the pistonin the hollow cylindrical bore of the portio 24b while accommodatingretraction of the bottom end of the piston from the hollow interior ofthe conical portion 24a into the bore. A compression spring S ispositioned in the bore of the portion 24a and bottomed on the piston 27and end 24c to urge the piston toward the conical end 24a.

The driving chuck 22 rotates the head 11, but the rod does not rotatetherewith, being fitted freely in the head and adapted to be axiallyshifted under the action of the plunger 25.

The head 11 has three cylindrical bores 28 spaced 120 apart andextending up into the housing from the inclined end face 13 at asubstantial angle, preferably 45, from the axis of rotation of the head.Each bore 28 has a pair of counterbores 29 and 30 in the open bottom endthereof providing radial shoulders 31 and 32 respectively. Studs 33 havereduced diameter pilot end portions 34 press-fitted into the bores 28and shoulders 35 bottomed against the shoulders 31 of the counterbores29.

The studs 33 project beyond the end face or bottom 13 of the head 11 toprovide rigid axles for swedge rollers 36. These rollers 36 havecylindrical central bores or recesses 37 extending from counterbores 38in their top ends to tapered small diameter bores 39 at their bottomends. Shoulders 40 are provided between the bores 37 and counterbores 38while shoulders 41 are provided between the bores 37 and tapered bores39. The tapered bores 39 flare outwardly or diverge from the radialinner peripheries of the shoulders 41. A washer or end cap 42 with atapered periphery fitting the tapered bore 39 is secured to the end ofeach stud 33 by means of a mounting screw 43 and serves to retain theroller 36 on its stud 33.

A roller bearing cage assembly 44 is mounted in the bore 37 of eachroller 36 to rotatably support the roller around the stud 33.

A radial bearing assembly 45, which may be any suitable antifrictionradial hearing such as a needle bearing assembly, is seated in eachcounterbore 29 and bottomed against the shoulder 31.

A plurality of stacked Belleville spring washers are interposed betweenthe radial bearing 45 and the shoulder 40 of each roller 36 to urge theroller against the washer or end cap 42 to hold it in spaced relationfrom the bottom face 13 of the head.

As shown, a first Belleville spring washer 46 has its inner peripheralportion bottomed against the gearing 45 and slopes radially outward andaxially downward therefrom in the counterbore 30. A second Bellevillespring washer 47 has its outer peripheral portion bottomed on the outerperipheral portion of the washer 46 in this counterbore 30 and thenslopes radially inward and axially downward out of the counterbore. Athird Belleville spring washer 48 has its inner. peripheral portionengaging the inner peripheral portion of the washer 47 and then slopesradially outward and axially downward to be bottomed on the shoulder 40of the counterbore 38. The stacked Belleville springs thus act as ahelical spring or spring bellows around the stud 33 to urge the swedgeroller 36 away from the head 11. These washers rotate with the roller,the rotation being accommodated by the bottom raceof the radial bearing45.

Each swedge roller 36 has a generally frusto-conical contour with a toptapered portion 49 diverging from a flat top end 50 containing thecounterbore 38 to a base 51. A swedging contour is cut into each rollerbeyond this base 51 and includes an undercut shoulder 52 extendinginwardly from the base 51 to an apex '53 and a second outwardly directedshoulder 54 extending from the apex at about a angle to the shoulder 52.The shoulder 54 has a peripheral raised head '55 about midway of itslength and having a generally semicircular contour. The shoulder 54terminates at a tapered rim 56 converging to the fiat bottom face 57 ofthe roller. The swedging periphery provided by the shoulders 52 and '54is so shaped and dimensioned in relation to the angle of inclination ofthe rollers so that the shoulder 52 will be oriented radially over thetop of the workpiece while the shoulder 54 will extend axially of theworkpiece in surrounding relation thereto and present the bead 55 inembracing relation to the workpiece, as best shown in FIGURE 3.

The swedging tool 10 is especially adapted to act upon socket assembliesof the so-called low-profile type having a cup portion with a closedbottom and an open top through which a stud extends together with alaterally extending mounting stem at a level adjacent or even above theopen top of the cup. In FIGURES 1 and 3, the tool 10 is illustrated asacting upon such a socket assembly and providing not only a centralspace accommodating the upstanding stud with the conical rod portion 24afreely surrounding the stud but also providing ample clearance for thestem.

As shown in FIGURES l and 3, a fixture 58 under the tool 10 has acup-like recess 59 with a laterally extending recess 60. A socketassembly 61 has a cup end 62 seated in the recess 59 and a stem 63extending from the cup end 62 and partially seated in the recess 60. Thecup 62 has a closed bottom and an open cylindrical top with a straightcylindrical bore 64 in the Open top defined by a' generally upstandingcylindrical rim 65. The bore '64 extends inwardly from the open top fora considerable depth to a tapered bore 66 which converges to the closedbottom of the cup. A plastic bearing 67 is seated in this tapered boreand tiltably and rotatably supports a stud 68.

As better shown in FIGURE 4, the plastic bearing. 67 is cup-shaped tosnugly fit in the tapered bore 66 and has a spherical recess 69 openinginto a diverging bore or mouth 70 which extends to a flat rim 71 at thetop of the bearing.

The stud 68 has a full ball end 72 snugly seated in the spherical recess69 of the bearing and a generally cylindrical stem 73 projecting freelythrough the mouth 70 and out of the open top of the housing. The stem 73may be provided with a tapered wedge portion 74 for receiving an eyeconnection and a reduced diameter externally threaded top end portion 75to receive a locking nut thereon (not shown).

The spherical recess 69 embraces substantially the entire ball end 72 ofthe stud, but the tapered bore 70 accommodates tilting of the stud inthe hearing. The bearing is preferably composed of a molded block ofsuitable synthetic plastic material, such as nylon, polyethylene,polyurethane, or the like. This type of material is relatively rigid,but somewhat deformable and resilient. The bearing block 67 is molded tosnugly fit the cavity of the cup 62 and to snugly embrace the ball endof the stud. The top rim 71 of the bearing 67 lies within thecylindrical bore 64 of the cup 62.

A retaining rigid washer 76, preferably composed of metal, fits looselyin the cylindrical bore 64 and is bottomed on the top rim 71 of theplastic bearing 67.

The swedge tool preloads the socket assembly and locks the retainingwasher 76 to the cup 62 as hereinafter described.

OPERATION The manner in which the tool 10 acts upon the socket 6-1 topreload the assembly and to lock the retainer to the socket housing isillustrated in FIGURES 5 and 8.

In FIGURE 5, the tool 10 is shown in its position prior to engaging thesocket assembly 61. In this position, both the plunger 24 and the swedgeroller 36 are spaced from the socket assembly 61 so that the assembly isin its free unloaded condition. In this condition, the bearing block 67has its flat top rim end 71 extending into the cylindrical bore 64 andthe washer 76 fits loosely in this bore. The stud shank 73 projects intothe conical end 24a of the rod 24 but has not yet been engaged by thepiston 27 in the upper end of the conical portion. The swedging shoulder52 of the roller 36 overlies the cylindrical rim end 65 of the cup 62and the swedging shoulder 54 is adapted to embrace this cylindrical end65.

From the starting position of FIGURE 5, the tool 10 is lowered to theposition of FIGURE 6 with the swedging shoulder 54 surrounding thecylindrical end 65 of the cup and with the shoulder 52 spaced above thetop rim edge of the cup. In this position, the stud shank 73 engages thepiston 27 to compress the spring 5 which forces the stud inwardly intothe bottom of the cup 62 to cause the stud to be set in place. Theinitial loading or setting of the stud by the piston 27 will firstcausethe bearing block to bottom in the cup 62 and take up clearance betweenthe cup and hearing, such as the clearance indicated in FIGURE 5. Thetapered bore 66 of the cup will contract the beariug block 67 as it isforced deeper into the cup, causing it to wrap around the ball end 72 ofthe stud and assume the position of FIGURE 6.

The plunger rod is then lowered to move the bottom rim of the conicalportion 24a against the retainer 76 as shown in FIGURE 3. This load onthe retainer is transferred to the bearing block 67 causing it to bedepressed from its set or bottomed level of FIGURE 6 to a depth or levelin the bore 64 controlled by the predetermined preload desired for thecomponents. The bearing material itself will thus be compressed and allof the components preloaded to the desired stress.

The plunger rod 24 is actuated to produce the exact desired preload onthe joint components and will establish this preload regardless of widestack-up variations of the components.

When the desired preload has been placed on the joint components andthey have reached their positions for sustaining this preload, the toolis next rotated and further lowered from the position of FIGURE 6 to theposition of FIGURE 7. However, the plunger rod 24 is not further loweredto increase the preload unless such increase is desired.

-As shown in FIGURE 7, the bead 55 forms a peripheral groove 77 aroundthe upstanding cylindrical rim portion 65 of the .cup 62 while theshoulder 54 cooperates with this head 55 to radially deform thecylindrical portion 65 so that the bore 64 will tightly grip theperiphery of the retaining ring or washer 76. In other words, theinitial action on the cup 62 by the swedging rollers is a radialdeformation of the housing portion 65 into tight gripping relation withthe retainer 76.

After the housing has been deformed radially inward to clamp theperiphery of the retainer 76, the tool 10 is further lowered to theposition of FIGURE 8 where the radial deformation is continued by theswedging shoulder 54 and the head 55 deepens the groove 77 to move themetal of the housing portion 65 into overlapping relation with bothfaces of the retainer 76 and, in effect, form a locking groove 78 forthe retainer. The shoulder 52 acts on the rim edge of the housing andfurther deforms the metal to provide a flange 79 overlying the top faceof the washer to a greater extent than the radially deformed metalunderlies the bottom of the retainer.

It will be understood that as the head 11 of the tool is moveddownwardly to cause the three swedge rollers to engage the open top ofthe cup 62, the swedge rollers are urged by the Belleville springwashers against the end caps 42 on the ends of the stud axles 33.Further lowering of the head 11 then moves the rollers 36 closer towardthe axis of rotation of the head and into swedge gripping relation withthe periphery of the housing as shown in FIGURE 7. This will stop thedownward movement of the rollers and they will climb upwardly on thestud axles 33 thereby lifting off of the end heads or caps 42 as shownin FIGURE 7. This axial shifting of the rollers on their axles isaccommodated by flattening of the bellows spring washers, and it shouldbe understood that the bearing 44 rotatably mounting each roller on itsaxle is slidable on the main body portion of the axle.

Then, as the head 11 is further lowered from the position of FIGURE 7 tothe position of FIGURE 8, the swedge rollers 36 will climb even higheron the axles 33.

It will, therefore, be understood that the head 11 is rotated to drivethe three swedge rollers around an orbital path centered on the axis ofrotation of the head. Each roller in turn may rotate about its owninclined axis determined by the angle of inclination of this axis. Therollers rotate freely on their stud axles and can also slide axially onthese axles. When the rollers engage the workpiece, their descent isarrested and further lowering of the head will force the studs furtherinto the rollers. Since the studs are inclined, the orbiting radius ofthe rollers is decreased as the studs are forced through the rollers oras the rollers climb the studs, and a radial collapsing force is appliedaround the periphery of the workpiece causing it to be spun inwardly andthen overlapped on the retainer washer or ring. The rollers rotate byfrictional engagement with the stationary workpiece as the head rotatesthe inclined axles for the rollers.

The angle of inclination of the stud axles 33 is substantial to tilt therollers away from the workpiece and to provide a central space forreceiving freely the hollow conical end of the plunger rod which in turnfreely receives the stud of the workpiece.

The groove 77 formed by the tool 10 during the spin swedging of thehousing into locked relation with the retainer 76 may be used to anchora dust cap or boot for the joint 61 on the housing 62 as shown in FIGURE4. As therein shown, the boot 80, composed of rubber or the likeelastomer, embraces the open top of the cup housing 62 and has aninternal head 81 seated in the groove 77. The boot also has an opening82 through the dome thereof snugly embracing the shank of the stud.

OTHER MODIFICATIONS If desired, as shown in FIGURES 9 to 11, the toolmay be modified to spin swedge closure plates into the large open endsof open ended joint housings or the like. Thus, the tool 10a of FIGURES9 to 11 has the same components and functions in the same manner as thetool 10, and similar parts have been marked with the same referencenumerals. As shown, the rollers 36 do not have groove forming beads ontheir swedging periphery, but otherwise have the same swedging shoulders52 and 54 as in the tool 10. The plunger rod 24 in the tool 10a does nothave the hollow end or conical extension 24a, but its solid end projectsbeyond the apex 14 of the head 11.

The work piece illustrated in FIGURES 9 and 10 is a pin joint type ofsocket assembly 83, and includes an open ended eye housing 84 with alaterally extending stem 85. The housing has a cylindrical bore 86extending from a radial shoulder 87 in the bottom thereof to an enlargedcounterbore 88 which extends through the open top end of the housing. Asmall diameter circular opening 89 is provided through the bottom of thehousing. A rubber bushed bearing 90 is mounted in the bore 86 againstthe shoulder 87 and has a cylindrical sleeve 91 with an out-turned topflange 92 surrounded by a rubber or other elastomer sleeve 93. Thebearing sleeve 91 may be composed of any suitable bearing material suchas metal, plastic or the like and may be split so as to contract underthe load on the sleeve 93.

A pin stud 94 has a cylindrical shank 95 extending through the sleeve 91and a head 96 overlying the flange 92 and having a rounded central dome97. A closure plate or disk 98 closes the open top end of the housing 84and has a domed central portion 99 providing a recess for the dome 97 ofthe head 96.

As shown in FIGURE 9, the components in the housing 84 have a stackedheight such as to position the closure plate 98 just inside of the opentop end of the housing. The closure plate 98 fits freely in thecounterbore 88 and rests on the head dome 97.

To impart the proper preload to the components in the housing 83, therod 24 is forced down on the dome or apex 99 of the closure disk 98forcing the stud further into the housing and axially loading theelastomeric bushing 93. When the desired preload has been placed on theassembly, the head 11 is then lowered to *bring the rollers 36 of thetool 10a into swedging engagement with the upstanding cylindrical rimportion of the housing 84 surrounding the counterbore 88. Then, the rimportion is radially deformed to move the wall of the counterbore 88tightly around the periphery of the closure disk 98 and next to move themetal of the housing into overlapped relation with both faces of theclosure disk and, in effect, form an internal groove clamping theclosure disk. Since the open end of the housing is completely closed bythe disk 98, there is no need for swedging or spinning a boot retaininggroove around the periphery of the housing.

The joint assembly 83 is fitted into any suitable fixture 58a under thetool 10a and the pin joint shank 95 extends freely through a centralaperture in this fixture instead of extending upwardly as in FIGURES 1and 3.

In FIGURE 11, the workpiece 100 is in the form of a ball and socketjoint having an open ended cup-shaped housing 101 with a flange 102therearound and an upstanding cylindrical rim portion 103 above thisflange. The housing 100 supports a bearing 104 therein receiving thesemiball end 105 of a stud 106 which has a cylindrical shank 107extending through an opening 108 in the bottom of the housing.

The ball end 105 has a rounded button 105a projecting from the centralportion of the flat end 1051; thereof. A dished retainer 109 is mountedin the housing over the button 105a and is urged thereagainst by meansof a coil spring 110. A closure disk 111 pressed into the open top endof the housing by the plunger rod '24 compresses the spring 110 to exertthe desired preload on the joint components in the housing. When theclosure disk 111 has been forced in the housing to a sufficient depthfor compressing the spring 110 to create the desired preload on thejoint component, the tool head 11 is lowered bringing the swedgerollers, such as 36, into spin swedge engagement with the cylindricalrim portion 103 of the housing. Then the rim portion is first radiallycollapsed into tight gripping engagement with the closure plateperiphery and next the metal of the rim portion is moved intooverlapping and underlapping relation with the closure plate to form aninternal groove tightly clamping the periphery of this closure plate. Itwill be 8 noted from FIGURE 11 that the flange 102 of the joint housing101 does not interfere with the spin swedging operation since the angleof inclination of the roller 36 is suflicient, together with theinclined taper 56 of the roller, to maintain the roller away from theflange during the swedging operation.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in theart, it should he understood that I wish to embody within the scope ofthe patent granted hereon, all such modifications as reasonably andproperly come Within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A ball and socket joint which comprises a metal socket having an openend, a stud having a shank projecting freely from the socket and a headin said socket on the end of the shank, a bearing in the socketsupporting the stud in tiltable and rotatable relation relative to thesocket, and a retainer in the open end of the socket overlying thebearing, said metal socket having a deformable unrestricted straightcylindrical bore wall portion and a corresponding unrestricteddeformable outer peripheral wall portion extending inwardly from itsopen end to a depth below the normal combined stacked height level ofsaid stud head, said bearing, and said retainer when the elements arecompressed together to their minimum practicable stacked height with thesaid bearing seated in the bottom of said socket, said retainer beingpositioned at a depth in said unrestricted straight cylindrical bore inthe socket to develop a controlled preload on the stud and the bearing,a portion of said unrestricted straight cylindrical bore wall portionbeing locally deformed radially inwardly into tight gripping relationwith the periphery and into overlapping relation with both faces of theretainer to lock the retainer to the socket and maintain the preload onthe stud and bearing; the extension of said cylindrical bore wallportion and deformable outer peripheral wall portionvbeing suflicientlybelow the said normal minimum stacked height so as to allow for theestablishment of said preload regardless of reductions in the stackupheight of the component due to the tolerance variations there- 2. A balland socket joint which comprises a cupshaped housing having a closedbottom and an open end with a cylindrical bore therein, a ball studhaving a ball end in the housing and a shank projecting therefrom, aplastic bearing block in said housing and having a ball recess receivingthe ballend of the stud and an open mouth freely receiving the studshank therethrough, a retainer washer overlying the plastic bearingaround the open mouth thereof, said housing having an unrestrictedstraight cylindrical bore Wall portion and a corresponding unrestricteddeformable outer peripheral Wall portion extending inwardly from itsopen end to a depth below the normal combined stacked height level ofsaid ball end, said plastic bearing :block, and said retainer washerwhen these elements are compressed together to their minimum practicablestacked height with the said bearing block seated in the bottom of thehousing, said retainer washer being positioned at a depth in saidunrestricted straight bore in the housing to develop a controlledpreload on the stud and bearing, and a portion of said unrestrictedstraight cylindrical bore wall portion being locally deformed radiallyinwardly into overlapping relation with both faces of the retainerwasher and into tight gripping relation with the periphery of the washerto lock the same and maintain preload on the stud and bearing; the'extension of said cylindrical bore wall portion and deformable outerperipheral wall portion being sutficiently below the said minimumstacked height so as to allow for the establishment of said preloadregardless of reductions in the stack-up height of the components due totolerance variations therein.

3. A pin joint which comprises a metal socket having a small openingthrough one end thereof and a large opening through the opposite endthereof, a pin having a shank extending through said small opening and ahead in said socket adjacent said large opening, a hearing seated in thebottom of said socket around said small opening and surrounding saidshank and underlying said head, a retainer plate engaging said pin head,a coil spring engaging said retainer plate, and a closure plate in thelarge open end of the socket of smaller size than said large open endand engaging said coil spring, said metal socket having an unrestrictedstraight cylindrical bore wall portion and a corresponding unrestricteddeformable outer peripheral wall portion extending inwardly from itslarge open end to a depth below the normal combined stacked height levelof said ball 15 head, said bearing, said retainer plate, said coilspring, and said closure plate when these elements are compressedtogether to their minimum possible stacked height with the said bearingseated in the bottom of said socket, said closure plate being positionedat a depth in said unrestricted straight cylindrical bore in the socketto develop a controlled preload on the pin and bearing, and a portion ofsaid unrestricted straight cylindrical bore being locally deformedradially inwardly into overlapping relation with both faces of theclosure plate to lock the plate to the socket and maintain the preloadon the pin and bearing; the extension of said cylindrical bore wallportion and outer peripheral wall portion being sufficiently below thesaid minimum stacked height so as to allow for the establishment of saidpreload regardless of reductions in the stack-up height of thecomponents due to tolerance variations therein.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 990,539 4/1911 Fyfe. 2,329,770 9/1943 Knox 29-511 2,778,664 1/1957 Herbenar. 2,883,744 4/ 1959 Barnhart.

FOREIGN PATENTS 852,139 10/1960 Great Britain.

CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner ANDREW V. KUNDRAT, Assistant ExaminerU.S. Cl. X.R. 29149.5; 28721

